Felix Cherniavsky - Response to "The Salome Dancer"

Added 19th Mar 2022 by Beth Dobson (Archives and Programming Assistant, DCD) / Last update 19th Mar 2022

Maud Allan 1298 51 2008-2-72.jpg
Maud Allan 1298 51 2008-2-72.jpg
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Felix Cherniavsky - Response to "The Salome Dancer"

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Maud Allan Research Collection
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K O S The Salome Dancer : The Life and Times of Maud Allan , by Felix Clernishy . MeClean & Stewart . Toronto , 1991. 301 p . $ 19.95 tion haunted Wlan throughout her life ; Chemiat ski implies that her decision to give up a promising career as a pianist for the inse cure locofa dancer may have been dictated by her brother's tragedy . Inspired by the paintings of Butticelli , Illan devised a simple dance style based on Incient Greck modes and had moderate suc cess in her concerts . ller signature dance , however , wasthe passionate " Visionof'Salome , “ which she performed for 18 months in London to wild acclaim . It made her : temporan supertarandawcalthywoman.inspiringdozens of irreverent satirises in the musical balls and a pornographic novel called Juudit . Allian's life thereafter seems a slow decline . She toured extensively as a solo per former , directed a small troupe , icted on stage and screen , cuice wrote her memoirs and did some teaching . Iler writings are banal , self promoting trutswhichas Cherniavskyreveals , are full of distortions of fact . The account of the slander trial she initiated in London in her middle scars and ultimately lost makes it clear why the author sees her as the quintessential Edwardian figure — both heroine and victim of her times . The notoriety which plagued her life seems infinitely more interesting than her dancing ever could have been . Reports from Britain , which dominated the first volume , are now placed modestly Within the framework of an international cover 190 from 26 nations or regions . New entries come from Israel . Spain and Brazil - the latter being the only country in Latin Imerica in cluded this car . Vlanı other nations with active dance resources are still to be tapped . Vichael Crabb's report on Canadian dance is thorough and timeh . The useful list of confer ences and festivals in Volume One has been omitted . But the statistical section continues to bea treasure for ready reference in matters of current interest . This rear the editors have solicited information on dancers ' salaries and companies which responded offer data that make for intriguing comparisons . Little to date has been written about the To ronto - born Maud Van and probably for good reason . I ler triumphas a dancer occupied a brief moment in an cra dominated by three more resourceful women - Loic Fuller , Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis — each with a more profound vision and an enduring legacy : Because ofhis family's longassociation with Allan . Felix Cherniarsky felt compelled to write her story . Llis father and uncles met the dancer while touring South Africa as the Cherniansky Trio , joining her for a junker through Asia and Justralia . Allan maintained friendly ties with the extended Cherniausky family until her death in 1956 . Admittedly unfamiliar with the dance arts , the author was intrigued with the issues of her life and the colourful times in which she worked . These form the substance of this study : the little information we get about her dancing comes from Allan's own statements and from a few critics who citheradmired heror found her ridiculous . Chemiarsky draws from the rich resources which fell into his hands - Allan's books , correspondence and journals - and from extensive research elsewhere . Van was born in 1873 , a Canadian by accident : her mother , presumed to be the illegitimate daughter of San Francisco mayor Adolph Sutro , had been adopted by a Toronto family . Maud's shoemaker father found prof itable work in California and the fanily joined him when Maud was six . In San Francisco she excelled in piano studies and was sent to Ger many to further her musical education . To sooner had she left when her older brother . Theo Durrant , was arrested and tried fortheses murders of two young women , fellow parish joners at the Baptist church where he was a volunteer worker . Ilis conviction and execu Mime Journal offers two richly illustrated studies of California performance artists . In Volume One . editor Theodore Shank Suneo's the current work of eight artists in San Fran cisco , where the form mir be traced back to 1959 with the founding of the S.F. Vime Troupe . Volume Twodeals with a newerware in the Los.Ingeles area and the creations often performers influenced by the proximity of Hlohwood , the Pacific Rim and the Mexican border . Volumes are US $ 12 each from the Theatre Department . Pomona College , Claremont , C191711 . World Ballet and Dance , Volume 2 ( 1990-1991 ) Elitelby Jam Parry . Dance Books , London . 1990. USS29.95 The second report on world dance opens with an essay by Chris de Varigny called " Is Dance al'niversal Language : " , and he presents some fascinating reasons for believing it is not . This issue deals with archives as its fox'us , with reports on major holdings in Vorth America . special collections in major European centres and the unique archives maintained by the Rambert and Cunningham companies . Jane Pritchard , who made the Worth . Imerican sur vey , only scratches the surface in her coverage Jof Canadian resources . The Dance Notation Bureau , 31 West 21-1 Street , New York , NY 10010 ) , announces the wailability of 15 masterpieces by Doris Humphrey in Labanotated scores . License fees are reasonably priced , and a reconstructor or coach can be provided for dance companies wishing to perform a Tlumphrey work . For information , contact Leslie Roumain at the Burcau . 1L cland Ilindreich is a dance critic licing in Tamour . lle is a rrzular contributor to the Vancouver Sun. Vandance and Dance Vagazine . ) September / October 1991 51 DANCE CONNECTION